An Endless Number of Fish Ponds in Yuen Long

On this winter day of apricity I did a walk in Tsim Bei Tsui in Lau Fau Shan and then took a leisurely stroll to see the fish ponds of Yuen Long. The walk took a little more than two hours and the only climb is up the Tong Ha Liu Lookout of Kwai Shan at the altitude of 71 meters. The rest of the walk is on level ground. Lying a bit north of Lau Fau Shan and Tin Shui Wai, Tsim Bei Tsui is blessed with a vast expanse of mangroves. As it is enveloped by the Deep Bay, the area offers the unlikely views of an exceptional natural endowment set against the background of the urban skyline of Shekou, Shenzhen, China. In Tsim Bei Tsui, the highest point is Kwai Shan at an altitude of 71 meters. The Tong Ha Liu Lookout is at the peak of Kwai Shan. Tong Ha Liu was once a settlement area for villagers. The waters surrounding Tsim Bei Tsui was once a very convenient passageway for ships taking cargo between Hong Kong and China. The settlement structures at Kwai Shan were rest stops for the travelers, merchants and workers of the sea traffic. Tong Ha Liu, in Chinese, means “the summer settlement for the Chinese people.” This hill was once abundant with sugar cane as well. At the Tong Ha Liu parking lot I found the stairs to go the Tong Ha Liu Lookout. The climb took less than ten minutes. To be honest, there was not very much to see up there at the viewing point. Some bloggers have said that this would be a good spot for bird watching, and the description on site also says that there are binoculars for this purpose. However, the heavy foliage that surrounds the lookout will likely block visibility into the natural wetland that lies at the Deep Bay. All of Deep Bay Road is a walk along the border and therefore there is a high fence throughout the walk. This does mean that there is not much view offered on this part of the walk. However, keep looking on your right for certain viewing points that show the mangroves. They are not exceptional in terms of views but they are a good look at the natural endowment of the area. I do not advise anyone walking from Lau Fau Shan to Tsim Bei Tsui because it is a bit of a long walk without any particularly good views along the way. I suggest therefore to take the Green Top Minibus Route 35 on Tai Fung Street in Yuen Long and get off at the final stop in Tsim Bei Tsui. The minibus ride will take about half an hour. #tsimbeitsui #yuenlong #hongkonghiking #shorthike #easyhike #hongkonghistory #deepbay #china